It is known to directly print on a bottle immediately after a stretch-molding or blow-molding machine has manufactured the bottle from a preheated preform. It is also known to dry or cure the printed image by irradiating the printed containers with UV radiation, electron radiation, microwave radiation, or heat radiation in the form of infrared radiation.
Known ways of disinfecting or sterilizing of containers before they are filled with filling material include exposure to plasma discharge, as well as exposure to radiation, including UV radiation, electron radiation, microwave radiation, thermal radiation, or infrared radiation.
A disadvantage of the known technology is that separate, complex and costly methods and devices are necessary for the drying or curing of the printed images and for the disinfecting or sterilizing of the containers.